Thrymskvitha
1. Wild was Vingthor when
he awoke,
And when his mighty hammer
he missed;
he shook his beard, his
hair was bristling,
As the son of Jorth about
him sought.
2. Hear now the speech that
first he spake:
"Harken, Loki, and heed
my words,
Nowhere on earth is it known
to man,
Nor in heaven above: our hammer is stolen."
3. To the dwelling fair of
Freya went they,
Hear now the speech that
first he spake:
"Wilt thou, Freya, thy
feather-dress lend me,
That so my hammer I may seek?"
Freya spake:
4. "Thine should it be though
of silver bright,
And I would give it though
‘twere of gold."
Then Loki flew, and the feather-dress
whirred,
Till he left behind him the
home of the gods,
And reached at last the realm
of the giants.
5. Thrym sat on a mound, the
giants' master,
Leashed of gold he laid for
his dogs,
And stroked and smoothed the
manes of his steeds.
Thrym spake:
6. "How fare the gods, how
fare the elves?
Why comst thou alone to the
giants' land?"
Loki spake:
7. "Ill fare the gods, ill
fare the elves!
Hast thou hidden Hlorrithi's
hammer?"
Thrym spake:
8. "I have hidden Hlorrithi's
hammer,
Eight miles down deep in
the earth;
And back again shall no man
bring it
If Freya I win not to be
my wife."
9. Then Loki flew, and the
feather-dress whirred,
Till he left behind him the
home of the giants,
And reached at last the
realm of the gods.
There in the courtyard Thor
he met:
Hear now the speech that
first he spoke:
10. "Hast thou found tidings as
well as trouble?
Thy news in the air shalt
thou utter now;
Oft doth the sitter his story
forget,
And lies he speaks who lays
himself down."
Loki spake:
11. "Trouble I have, and
tidings as well:
Thrym, king of the giants, keeps
thy hammer,
And back again shall no man
bring it
If Freya he wins not to be
his wife."
12. Freyja the fair then
went they to find;
Hear now the speech that
first he spake:
"Bind on, Freyja, the
bridle veil,
For we two must haste to
the giants' home."
13. Wrathful was Freyja, and
fiercely she snorted,
And the dwelling great of
the gods was shaken,
And burst was the mighty Brisings'
necklace:
"Most lustful indeed should
I look to all
If I journyed with thee to
the giants' home."
14. Then were the gods together
met,
And the goddesses came and
council held,
And the far-famed ones a
plan would fine,
How they might Hlorrithi's hammer
win.
15. Then Heimdall spake, whitest
of the gods,
Like the Wanes he knew the
future well:
"Bind we on Thor the
bridal veil,
Let him bear the mighty Brisings'
necklace;
16. "Keys around him let
there rattle,
And down to his knees hang
woman's dress;
With gems full broad upon
his breast,
And a pretty cap to crown
his head."
17. Then Thor the mighty his
answer made:
"Me would the gods unmanly
all
If I let bind the bridle
veil."
18. Then Loki spake, the
son of Laufey:
"Be silent, Thor, and
speak not thus;
Else will the giants in Asgarth
dwell
If thy hammer is brought not home
to thee."
19. Then bound they on Thor the
bridal veil,
And next the mighty Brisings'
necklace.
20. Keys around him let they
rattle,
And down to his knees hung
woman's dress;
With gems full broad upon
his breast,
And a pretty cap to crown
his head.
21. Then Loki spake, the
son of Laufey:
"As thy maid-servant thither I
go with thee;
We two shall haste to the
giants' home."
22. Then home the goats to
the hall were driven,
They wrenched at the halters, swift
were they to run;
The mountains burst, earth
burned with fire,
And Othin's son sought Jotunheim.
23. Then loud spake Thrym, the
giants' leader:
"Bestir ye, giants, put
straw on the benches;
Now Freyja they bring to
be my bride,
The daughter of Njorth out
of Noatun.
24. "Gold-horned cattle go
to my stables,
Jet-black oxen, the giant's
joy;
Many my gems, and many my
jewels,
Freyja alone did I lack,
methinks."
25. Early it was to evening
come,
And forth was borne the beer
for the giants;
Thor alone ate an ox, and
eight salmon,
All the dainties as well that
were set for the women;
And drank Sif's mate three
tuns of mead.
26. Then loud spake Thrym, the
giants' leader;
"Who ever saw bride
more keenly bite?
I ne'er saw bride with a
broader bite,
Nor a maiden who drank more
mead than this!"
27. Hard by there sat the
serving-maid wise,
So well she answered the
giant's words:
"From food has Freyja eight
nights fasted,
So hot was her longing for
Jotunheim."
28. Thrym looked ‘neath the veil, for
he longed to kiss,
But back he leaped the length
of the hall:
"Why are so fearful the
eyes of Freyja?
Fire, methinks, from her
eyes burns forth."
29. Hard by there sat the
serving-maid wise,
So well she answered the
giant's words:
"No sleep has Freyja for
eight nights found,
So hot was her longing for
Jotunheim."
30. Soon came the giant's luckless
sister,
Who feared not to ask the
bridal fee:
"From thy hands the rings of
red gold take,
If thou wouldst win my
willing love,
(My willing love and welcome
glad.)"
31. Then loud spake Thrym, the
giants' leader:
"Bring in the hammer to
hallow the bride;
On the maiden's knees let
Mjollnir lie,
That us both the hand of
Vor may bless."
32. The heart in the breast of
Hlorrithi laughed
When the hard-souled one his
hammer beheld;
First Thrym, the king of
the giants, he killed,
Then all the folk of the
giants he felled.
33. The giant's sister old
he slew,
She who had begged the
bridal fee;
A stroke she got in the shillings'
stead,
And for many rings the might
of the hammer.
34. And so his hammer got
Othin's son.